Yellow is the colour of positivity and optimism, says interior designer Helena Cousins of Zinc Interiors. "It is the colour of sunlight and can mimic it when it is absent by lifting the spirits. It is the essence of summer and gives a space a sense of frivolity."
Cousins is talking about warm golden yellows, shades of rapeseed, sunflower, marigold and egg yolk rather than the cold citrus colour that epitomised the Government’s coronavirus communications. This was combined with black, the colour of danger, to convey an entirely different message, she says.
It is the colour of highest visibility on the spectrum, which is why it really works in the Irish outdoors. In lawned gardens or those with green hedging it contrasts really well but it also works brilliantly with olive and forest green, says Cousins.
These warm shades look great when teamed with a more architectural palette like anthracite grey or teal, she says.
She suggests investing in these saturated yellow metal outdoor seats from Spanish brand Isimar to help exude a wonderful, warm aura that can be cosy and comforting on cooler days. These Mónaco lounge chairs, pictured above in natural honey colour and set around a cool aquamarine-coloured swimming pool, are priced €217 each, to order through Zinc Interiors.
"The use of yellow outdoors will make it feel sunny all the time, even when it's overcast," says Monica Alvarez, landscape designer and judge on TV show Super Garden, which has returned to RTÉ One on Thursday evenings at 8pm. Supported by Dulux Exteriors, which includes Weathershield, Cuprinol and Hammerite, it shows how creative homeowners have been with colour in their outdoor spaces.
One built a chill-out area using repurposed wooden crates, painting the base in Urban Slate – a warm grey that is one of Cuprinol’s Garden Shades – and layered old throws and cushions atop a primrose-coloured seat cushion, showing the classic combination of yellow and grey in a new light. “Yellow also works really well against a dark timber fence or dense hedging, Alvarez explains.
“Use it to pick out detailing on timber such as the door and window frames on a garden shed, a pergola or even the base or top of a dining table.”
